Walking at Sun Haven Valley
Once you have
pitched your tent on the campsite or settled
into your caravan, Sun Haven Valley is an
ideal spot from which to base your walking
and has something to suit everyone.
A mile stroll from us, through the woodland
along the Lanherne Valley, and you come to
the old Cornish village of St Mawgan. Here
you can browse the Japanese Gardens &
bonsai collection and stop for the best cream
teas in the area at the tea room behind the
post office - or perhaps lunch in the Falcon
inn?
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Carnanton Woods |
On leaving you can
then return to the holiday park on the opposite side
of Lanherne valley, or you can continue up the
valley for another mile into Carnanton woods,
or the more adventurous can strike up the hill
& over the farmland to Watergate Bay Here
you will find a mile of beach to walk on at
low tide, before taking the 2 miles of cliff-top
coastal path back to Mawgan Porth |
The South West
Coastal Path
Whilst you quite probably not walk the full
630 miles of Britains longest National Trail
whilst you are here you can certainly sample
it's clifftop scenery. The bus that stops
at the gate into Sun Haven Country caravan park will take you North
towards Padstow and has several "beachside"
stopping points that will give you varying
lengths of walk along the coastal path to
return to Sun Haven.
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Bedruthan Steps |
Carnewas / Bedruthan
Steps is about 2.5 miles from the campsite entrance, Porthcothan
4.5 miles. Constantine Bay 8.0 miles and finally
Padstow is 16miles. You can off course break
this up into smaller lengths catching the
bus back.
Going South the bus will take you to Newquay
and after a bus change down to Perranporth
which give further 5 mile and 8 miles stretches
to try out. |
Camel Trail
At Padstow there is also the start of the
"Camel" trail - but don't expect
to see any - it's named after the river which
it follows as far as Wadebridge This is a
recreational path constructed along the route
of a disused railway line, and is consequently
relatively level. The most popular section
of the route is from Padstow to Wadebrige
(6miles) and both towns have a choice of bicycle
hire shops - very popular for a family day
out. If you are looking for a little more
exercise than this, the trail then goes on
from Wadebridge to Bodmin ( 5.8 miles ) and
from Bodmin to Wenfordbridge ( another 7.5
miles) |
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Bodmin Moor
Bodmin Moor offers an entirely new scale
of walking with many hundreds of acres of
"public access" on which to roam.
The moor of course is subject to extreme weather
and sudden weather changes so all the usual
warnings of being properly dressed and being
prepared must be heeded. If you are not looking
to be this bold there are still some marvellous
opportunites - Siblyback lake has a 3.5 mile
"Round the lake" walk and not far
away there is a fine walk through woodland
to Golitha Falls.
The Minions is a good place to stop the car
& take a short ( or long) walk. Standing
stones, fenced off mineshafts and a small
heritage centre provide interest and the walk
can be as long as you wish.
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Rough Tor |
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PLEASE COME AND ASK - we have
other ideas, books of walks and maps for loan
and can print off some walks for you to follow,
such as the one below :-
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Go out of the front gate to
Sunhaven Holiday Park, under the main arch and turn right.
Walk along the road for 200 metres and turn
left down the track just past the Barn at
Gluvian Farm, following the sign to the ford
at the bottom of the track. If you collect
some sticks on your way down the path it's
a good place to play Pooh sticks There are
often buzzards, kestrels or sparrow hawks
hunting in the surrounding fields so keep
your eyes open.
Once over the bridge continue along the track
(uphill & getting steeper by the pace
) and bear right around the house “Tolcarne
Merock” - which is the subject of a
novel of the same name by a very local author.
Carry on until you reach the road junction
at the top of the hill, catch your breath
and cross the road to the footpath and across
the two fields – or walk around the
edge if there are crops growing. Walking alongside
the “Cornish Hedges” (dry stone
walling with turf on top), you should just
be able to see the sea to the right.
In the corner of the second field join the
road and walk right towards Tregurrian. On
the sharp left bend, you can walk down the
rather busy main road into Watergate Bay or
can take the road to the right which is a
quieter road through Watergate Touring Park.
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Path down
to the Ford |
Looking back
towards Newquay |
When you
get to the T junction you will join the main
road again and turn left down into Watergate
Bay. In high season there is a procession
of traffic on this short stretch.
As you drop to Watergate Bay you will see
the Tregurrian Hotel on your left and opposite
look out for the sign showing where the coastal
path joins the road. Mawgan Porth is 2.5 miles
away back along it. Just past the Hotel is
the road on the left where you can catch a
556 bus back to Sunhaven via St Mawgan or
stop at the Phoenix for a drink after the
first hours walking. In good weather there
is a “Beach Bar” ( that isn’t
nearly as bad as it sounds ! ) with ringside
seats to watch the kite-surfers or for those
with large wallets, breakfast ( until 9.45am
) or lunch at the Jamie Oliver sponsored “Fifteen”
restaurant - & if that’s not enough
choice you can always try the terrace overlooking
the beach in the Watergate Bay Hotel.
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PLEASE NOTE - We provide this
information in good faith for your general information
but ask that you provide the common sense. Accidents
may occur in any activity, and walking hills, moors,
paths & clifftops can result in injury and even
loss of life. We can obviously not be responsible
for the consequences of using any information provided.
Walks may close at certain times of the year and
rights of access may have varied since this was
written. We personally have encountered broken stiles,
footpaths blocked by barbed wire, overgrown by brambles
& rendered unusable by fallen trees,
Parts of walks may be steep, and conditions underfoot
may be wet, muddy, slippery and or loose. Wear suitable
clothing and footwear, take a map, compass and mobile
phone, but expect to have 'no signal' in many areas.
The weather forecast is helpful but local conditions
in Cornwall - particularly on clifftops & moors
can be very localised for short parts of the day.
A squall off the sea can bring in freezing horizontal
rain for 20 minutes in what is otherwise a peaceful
sunny day. Take note of the likelihood of encounters
with water, - rivers, streams, lakes, tidal estuaries
and the sea. Be wary of planning to cross small
streams that may prove to be in torrential flood
after a local downpour and be sure NOT to be stranded
by an incoming tide. As our local sea is the Atlantic
Ocean, conditions are dictated by the weather many
hundreds of miles away you should expect the possibility
of very large waves at any time.
If walking alone tell someone your route and when
you intend to arrive at your destination for that
day. Even in peak tourist season you may well find
yourself entirely alone, with only the nature and
wildlife for company, which is marvellous - unless
you need help
In mining areas take particular care. Though the
now ruined engine houses and spoil heaps of old
mine workings are so picturesque they often hide
a maze of tunnels and adits, any of which may have
opened up due to subsidence.
Follow the country code - Take your litter home.
Leave gates as you found them ( open or closed).
Respect landowners & householders rights to
privacy. Keep dogs under control. Close gates and
stiles. Please park in car parks not blocking field
gates.
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